


Waypoint

by Merfilly



Series: Walk a Different Road [11]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Multi, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-07
Updated: 2011-10-07
Packaged: 2017-10-24 09:37:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/261897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Megatron is a manipulative son of a glitch</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waypoint

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Post RotF, precludes sequels.  
> 2\. Established xeno pairing, but not explicit this chapter  
> 3\. Canonical hatchlings

Megatron had surmised that the Autobots would meet their agent quickly. He also knew they would backtrack to the meeting place. Megatron was not one to retreat, Egypt notwithstanding, and had merely returned to the hatchling site to ready for the confrontation to come. He had the pleasure of seeing his brother thundering into the clearing, full of wrath and a hunger for violence that made Megatron lustful for the other mech in that moment. And yet Optimus had to grind to a halt, fist up in the human soldiers' sign language. Stop, he was commanding his warriors, and Megatron only smiled a little more, energon seeping from his wounded face. The fresh flow aroused the hatchling on his shoulder, making it ring out the creeling cry of a starving creature.

That cry wounded Optimus more than any blow Megatron could have landed, and the warlord savored the look of shock in his brother's optics and stance, shifting with the rest of the hatchlings fluttering on his frame, awakened by their brood-mate's cry.

"I do suppose you have intentions of finishing what you began in Egypt, brother," Megatron said smoothly. "By all means." He made no effort to rise from the 'throne' he had made of a fallen tree, nor to dislodge the restless, hungry hatchlings who creeled and struggled to lick at the drip of energon they could sense.

The scout to Optimus Prime's side looked vaguely uneasy, while Sideswipe, for that silver-framed mech could be no other, clenched his fists impotently. The one further back, still in alt-mode had been the one to escape with the human, and she was still present, resonating those strangely mixed energies. "Mirage, is that you, my unfaithful enforcer?"

"I serve Prime," Mirage growled firmly.

Megatron chuckled. "So you do, faithless one." He focused on Prime then, pleased to have pricked his former intelligence mech. "Well, brother?"

"Megatron, you must pay for all you have done to our race," Prime said, too aware that any shot he took would likely spark back on the blanket of hatchlings.

"Then take your aim, brother. Or are you too weak-sparked to slay me now I am in your sights? Surely you have found steel enough to be able to massacre me in sight of the future of our race?"

"He's just buying time, Prime! They're Decepticons already!" Sideswipe urged, taking the hardline stance.

Megatron stood, one talon coming up to settle the one that was closest to his wounds. All four Autobots shifted, the three in mech form ready to fire, while Mirage backed up slightly to protect his burden. "Brother, you should heed Sideswipe. Take your shot now, strike me down, and complete the vision I have for our future, by confirming to my brood just what an Autobot is!"

The pulse of the Prime's cannon was the only thing audible for a moment, until one of the hatchlings cried out from a too cruel bite from one of its brood-mates. Prime did not physically shudder, but he powered down his cannon, and then slipped it away, making Sideswipe give a choked noise, despite noticing how Prime did at least strengthen his forward fields.

"You do not have the capability of healing yourself, Megatron, let alone caring for the brood you have managed to succor so far," Optimus began. "Let me take the hatchlings in as neutrals in our war, to provide for them, in exchange for your freedom."

Megatron began laughing, as Optimus Prime proved to him that the war truly had not changed the underlying nature that was so alien to Megatron's own core. "Optimus, you remain predictable as ever!" With a flick, he began forcing the small creatures off his frame, aware of the whine of Sideswipe's weaponry, but Optimus reinforced his command, and Sideswipe powered down… mostly.

All but the one on Megatron's shoulder was shed to reel and cry on the ground, and then Megatron pulled that one off and held it in one open hand toward his brother. Optimus hesitated, then stepped close enough to take the offering. Megatron did not try anything, merely accepting that the brood moved in on Optimus, since it held the brood-leader.

"Enjoy their care while you may, brother," Megatron said with a cruel laugh, before launching up and away from them all.

He had neatly divested himself of a drain on his resources, employed his enemies' weakness to see to the future of their race, and secured a new handicap on their movements all in one play of strategy. Megatron would enjoy the fallout of this, when he returned to secure his legacy as master of all soon enough.

`~`~`~`~`

"It makes no sense!" Sideswipe hissed at his leader. He kicked a pede, knocking a hatchling off his ankle joint.

"Sure it does. He's starting to see we're a dying race!" Hound argued.

Prime ignored them both, aware that Mikaela had gotten out of Mirage's safety to walk over to him as he inspected the one he held. It had bit him immediately on transfer, inadvertently damaging a hydraulic line… which it did not care for. The thing was now sitting in the back of Prime's palm, whirring angrily and irritated at everything.

"What do we do now?" Mikaela asked softly, trying not to hurt the creatures that seemed so fragile despite being slightly larger than Wheelie.

While the three Autobots argued in the background, because Mirage was supporting Hound while disagreeing slightly on the reasoning, Prime surveyed the mess he had just inherited, growing slightly alarmed as the brood flocked around Mikaela. None of them seemed to be intent on harming her, though, and after few moments, they merely enclosed her at their center, acting as if she were one of their own.

"Umm, Optimus?" she asked, a little nervously, because she was literally encased in cool, metallic bodies, and the one in Optimus's hand was surveying her as if making a decision. When it did, it leaped toward Mikaela, scratching her a little as it plastered along her back and neck, chittering for the lack of a proper mount but making do.

"I am uncertain what their interest in you is, but it is clear they all need energy and nurturing," Optimus finally said.

"They're reacting to her resonance, Prime," Mirage said. "That is why the two abducted her. She is teeming with spark energy."

That startled Prime, and Mikaela nodded. "Said I steal energy from you, but that it is multiplying."

"Not unlike the carriers of ancient legend," Prime murmured. He transformed, doors opening on a cab he had modified to make more room within. "Hound, help place Mikaela and the young ones inside. The three of you will then ride sentry around our return journey, just in case."

"Yes, Prime!" the formerly argumentative voices called out together. With only a few bites at Hound and a lot of hissing, the brood was re-situated, Mikaela still firmly in the midst of them, the leader always near her head as she got comfortable in their 'nest'.


End file.
